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TV buying guide
If you can’t tell your OLED from your QLED - or don’t know the difference between 4K and 8K - this TV buying guide is for you. We’ll take you through everything you need to think about, so you can find the best TV for you, your space, and your budget.
Shop by technology
RGB TVs are here!
RGB LED TVs are a new generation of LED TVs first shown at CES 2025 and now rolling out from big brands including Sony, Hisense, Samsung, LG and TCL.
What makes them different?
Most LED TVs use a white or blue backlight, then filter it to create colour. RGB TVs use red, green and blue LEDs in the backlight itself, creating purer colours before the light even reaches the screen.
You’ll see the tech called RGB Mini LED or Micro RGB depending on the brand, but the idea is the same.
Why it matters
Richer, more realistic colours than traditional LED TVs
Higher brightness without using more power
Better contrast and black levels than standard LED TVs - with fewer “grey halos” around bright objects
Which TV should I buy? Navigate this guide
Best for...
Screen size
Resolution
Jargon buster
Other features
Best brands
After you buy
FAQs
What will you use your TV for most?
Okay, let’s cut to the chase – just what is the TV of your dreams? We’ve broken it down into four different categories below (movies, sports, gaming and style) to help you choose the features you need, depending on your viewing habits.
For a stadium atmosphere in your front room, go for:
A big screen so you don’t miss a moment.
Wide viewing angles so everyone can watch.
A high refresh rate (120Hz or more) that stops motion blur spoiling the view.
Read our helpful article on choosing a TV for sports to get a longer rundown. Or watch this video!
Looking to bring the cinema home? You’ll want:
A big screen so you can see every detail.
4K or 8K resolution for incredible quality.
Powerful built-in speakers so you can feel every twist and turn.
Read our article on best TVs for watching movies for even more info, or tune in to our expert video guide.
For a next-level gaming TV, here are some must-haves:
High refresh rate (up to 165Hz) for smooth, fast-paced gameplay.
HDMI 2.1 ports to unlock high frame rates and next‑gen console performance.
Low lag, so there’s no delay between your controller and what’s onscreen.
VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) for tear‑free, stutter‑free gameplay.
ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) so your TV switches to game mode automatically.
Check out our video for some game-changing features!
For TVs with extra wow, look out for:
Customisable bezels and frame TVs are real works of art.
Watch outdoors with TVs that are anti-glare and can handle the elements.
Ambilight gives you a built-in light show that matches what you’re watching.
Feeling inspired? Take a look at the different TV designs in our video.
What’s your perfect TV screen size?
Small TVs
24” - 38"
If you want to put an extra TV in your bedroom or kitchen, a smaller TV might be all you need. They’re perfect for winding down with a sitcom before bed, or having the news on in the background while making dinner.
Medium TVs
39” - 54"
These are the most common TV sizes for small-to-medium sized living rooms. And as they’re not too big, they’re a little easier to wall mount.
Large TVs
55” - 79”
If you’ve got a big lounge and want to immerse yourself in blockbuster films and sports, a larger TV is the way to go.
Shop 55” - 64” TVs
Huge TVs
80” and over
If you really want to go all out, a television over 80” is pretty epic. For massive movie nights, it’s hard to beat!
Shop 80” - 84” TVs
Types of TV screens explained - what’s the best screen resolution for your TV?
The more pixels your TV has, the higher the resolution — which means more picture quality, depth and detail. Full HD TVs have 1920 pixels, while 8K TVs have about 33 million pixels!
Full HD
Most small TVs under 43” are Full HD (1080p). That’s all they need to deliver a really crisp and detailed picture.
Shop Full HD TVs
4K
4K TVs give you about 8 million pixels – that’s four times the resolution of Full HD - for a picture that’s crystal-clear and vivid. If you’re thinking getting a TV larger than 43”, it’s best to go 4K.
Shop 4K TVs
8K
If you want to futureproof your tech, 8K TV is the highest resolution currently available. That’s four times the number of pixels as 4K TVs have, for the sharpest detail around. It’s an eye-popping option for the largest TVs.
Shop 8K TVs
Screen tech jargon buster
While shopping for a new TV, you might come across a lot of unfamiliar terms. Here’s a simple guide to what they mean — and how they relate to each other.
Core screen types (most TVs fall into these)
LED upgrades and variations
Advanced technologies
HDR types explained
What other TV features should I look for?
Smart TV features
Smart TVs give you a huge choice of catch-up and on-demand streaming services, while cutting out the need for set top boxes or dongles. Cast videos from your phone to the TV screen or find what you want with a voice assistant like Bixby, Alexa and Google.
HDMI and connections
Before you buy a TV, it's always worth checking if it’ll be compatible with other tech like soundbars, Blu-Ray players, or gaming consoles. Gamers especially might want an HDMI 2.1 port, which supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and more.
Refresh rate
Measured in Hz or fps, the refresh rate is how many times your TV refreshes the image on-screen in a second. A low refresh rate like 60 Hz is great for regular shows. But if you're a gamer or sports fan, then a high refresh rate (above 120 Hz) will give you a smoother picture.
Dimming tech
Some LED TVs come with local dimming, where areas of pixels are turned off for deeper blacks and brighter whites. This stops light from bleeding through the screen, which can be a major distraction. The 3 main types to look for are edge-lit, back- lit and full array. Read our article for more info:
Wall mounting
If your old TV was wall mounted, you might want to use the same TV brackets. If so, you’ll need to check whether your old TV had a VESA wall mount size, and then make sure your new TV unit matches it. We’ve written a wall mounting guide to help out:
Serious about sound
Think about whether you’d like a TV with enhanced sound (like Dolby Atmos), or if you’d prefer to invest in a separate sound system. All TVs have their own built-in speakers, but you might want something a bit more punchy.
Find out more about TV sound in our article: TV tech jargon buster
Tuners
Like watching live TV? A tuner is what lets your TV receive signals, so you can watch TV without being connected to the internet. Just like the good old days! Not all TVs have them anymore, so make sure you get a TV with a tuner if you want access to Freeview or Freesat channels.
Freely built in
Freely brings live and on-demand TV together in one place, streamed over Wi-Fi. Browse live channels, restart programmes from the beginning and catch up on shows you've missed without jumping between different apps. Available on selected TVs, Freely doesn't require an aerial, separate box or monthly subscription.
AI TV - what features can I expect?
Modern TVs are as much computer as display and they’re using AI to do everything better. Neural networks upscale content and balance shadows on the spot. Faster processors optimise everything from sound to motion. And that’s just the start!
Subtitling
Mumbling movie stars? Dodgy dialogue? No worries. Ai generates spot-on subtitles in real time, meaning you’ll never miss a word. Even when things drop to a hush.
Ai sound
Ai fine-tunes audio to bring voices to the front, and smooth out background noise. Dialogue sounds clearer, so there’s no need to keep reaching for that remote.
Ai picture
Scene-by-scene, frame-by-frame, Ai fine-tunes your picture. It makes everything look cinematic, with colour and details that (almost) leap out of the screen.
Which TV brand is best to buy?
It all depends on the features you’re looking for. Lots of top brands make high-quality TVs featuring some of the best TV tech around. We’ve got top TVs from some of the biggest brands around, including:
FAQs
If you’re wondering how to choose a TV, there are all kinds of things to consider when finding the best television for you.
Think about the screen size to find the perfect fit for your space. Then you can look into things like the resolution and the refresh rate. Then there’s the smart TV stuff like built-in streaming apps and voice control, and what kind of speakers the telly’s packing.
There’s no best, it’s more about what you want to use your TV for. OLED TVs are known for their superb picture quality as they can control individual pixels. QLED TVs use quantum dots to boost the colour range and brightness, making them a bit more vibrant than OLEDs. So, they’re great for putting in light rooms and watching sports or gaming.
4K televisions are more popular than ever. They offer four times the number of pixels of standard HD TVs, making blockbuster movies and the latest TV shows look super crisp and detailed. And as more content is now being produced in 4K, you'll have access to even more high-quality stuff to watch or play. Getting a 4K TV will future proof your entertainment setup.
4K streaming: At least 25 Mbps for smooth, buffer‑free viewing.
8K streaming: Around 50–100 Mbps or higher, as 8K uses much more data.
If multiple devices are streaming at the same time, a faster connection will help keep everything running smoothly.
The best TV for you depends on how you watch — things like screen size, picture quality, room brightness and whether you mainly watch films, sport, gaming or everyday TV all make a difference. Features such as 4K vs 8K resolution, OLED or QLED displays and smart TV platforms are also worth considering. Check out our Best TVs of 2026 guide, where we compare leading models and explain what to look for before you buy.
OLED TVs use self‑lit pixels, which switch on and off individually. This delivers perfect blacks, excellent contrast and very realistic colours, especially for films and evening viewing.
QLED TVs use a backlight with a quantum dot layer, making them brighter and more vibrant, which works well in bright rooms.
QLED TVs use a traditional LED backlight with quantum dots for colour and brightness.
QD‑OLED combines OLED’s self‑lit pixels with quantum dots, offering OLED‑level blacks plus brighter colours and improved peak brightness.
A simple rule of thumb:
4K TVs: Sit about 1–1.5 times the screen size away
Large screens: You can sit closer without losing detail
For example, with a 55‑inch 4K TV, sitting around 5–7 feet away gives the best balance of comfort and detail.
Ideally, the centre of the TV screen should be at eye level when you’re seated.
For most living rooms, that usually means mounting the TV so the centre of the screen sits around 100–110cm from the floor, depending on sofa height.
Standard Mini‑LED TVs use white LEDs with colour filters and local dimming zones to improve contrast. RGB Mini‑LED uses separate red, green and blue LEDs, allowing for more precise colour control, higher brightness, and improved accuracy, especially in HDR scenes. This newer tech helps reduce blooming and improves overall picture realism.
Energy efficiency varies by screen size, display type and settings.
Smaller screens generally use less energy
LED‑based TVs are often more efficient than brighter, high‑end panels
Many modern TVs include eco modes and energy dashboards that help reduce power use
Always check the energy rating label and built‑in eco features to compare efficiency across models.